Indian Muslim Cultural & Heritage Celebration

On 08th July 2013, Indian Muslim Cultural & Heritage Celebration was held at Kapitan Keling Mosque in conjunction with 5th Anniversary Georgetown World Heritage Site Celebration. Many interactive activities took place such as cooking demonstrations, free food, spice grinding competition, archery and many other.

Masjid Kapitan Keling

Masjid Kapitan Keling is the most prominent historic mosque in Penang located along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling as it was the first to be built by the East India Company troops when they arrived in Penang towards the end of the 18th century. As the population of India Muslim grew, their headman, Caudeer Mohudeen applied for a land grant for which he was granted 18 acres of land. Materials and builders were brought from India to construct the mosque.

After Caudeer Mohudeen passed away in 1834, part of the land was taken to build roads and houses were built around the mosque. The present mosque was built in 1916 replacing the old building and its dome shaped minaret reflects Islamic architecture with Indian influence.

I never had the opportunity to enter the mosque until Indian Muslim Cultural & Heritage Celebration . As I was not wearing scarfs, I was bit wary that I would be ousted out from the mosque compound. But no, I was allowed in together with other Chinese and Indians comrades.

The view from the tower:-

Indian Muslim Museum

As part of Indian Muslim Cultural & Heritage Celebration, there was an exhibition on historical development of education and madrasah of the Indian Muslim community in Penang which was located at Nordin Tomb Hall.

Today, there are close to 30,000 Indian Muslim in Penang itself. They are famous for various food and products. But do we know the history of their existence in Penang?

They first migrated to Penang in the 1880s and 1890s during times of severe famine in India. The sojourners first found their way to Nagapattinam on the east coast of Tamilnadu and from there followed Tamil traders on the 10-day boat journey to Penang. They mostly came with their families and did not scatter around but lived together closely as community. They identified themselves generally as Kadayanallur and Thenkasi Muslims from the district of Tirunelveli. Almost all the Muslims who came here for this are seem to have settled in the islands of Penang and Singapore, but not in the Peninsular.

In terms of occupation, most of the Kadayanallur males worked as coolies in the port, involved in small businesses and petty trading. They are famous for spices. Apart from Kadayanallur Muslims, there were Malabaris Muslims who were persecuted by the Portuguese in the 16th century. As they were closely linked, Kadayanallur migrants worked with Malabari petty traders at Chowrasta Market and eventually took as butchers, poulterers, fish mongers and vegetable sellers.

On top of that, the Kadayanallur Muslims started to sell food and drinks introducing the ever popular “teh tarik”.

The Chinese used to call Chowrasta Market as “Klinga Bansan” which means Indian market and the street adjacent as Tamil Street.

In 1920s, the women started to trade “giling rempah” by carrying spices in baskets on their heads and sell them door-to-door. They also sold freshly made curry paste along Tamil Street near Chowrasta market, which they ground with a granite rolling pin and slab.

You know how important curry pastes are for Penang, right? They were made famous through one of Penang’s most popular food, nasi kandar. The nasi kandar vendors, usually Tamil males from Ramnad, would carry a basket of rice and another of curry, slung on a bakau wood yoke. Some were imported from Ramnad by Kadayanallur family who would put in capital for the imported sojourners to start nasi kandar stall. The nasi kandar vendor then has to pay for the spices supplied by the family as well as repay the loan in instalments.

Because of the desire to retain their cultural heritage for their children, they started their own Tamil Schools as early as 1930s. The Anjuman Tamil school was started in 1932 while the United Muslim Tamil School in 1934. They maintained the schools and paid for the teachers by themselves. These schools have now been taken over by the Government or closed.

Jom Giling

Visitors to India Muslim Culture & Heritage Celebration got to try their hands on grinding spices and beans. It was really an opportunity. It was just by the Armenian street that I got hold of a boy grinding the spices.

Local Muslim Products

At Nordin Tomb Hall, there was a showcase of local Muslim Products. It dawned on me just then that most of the famous brands are the products of local muslim for example Hacks, Sunquick, Kings and many others. I was attracted to Hacks brand old boxes.

This bicycle was first used to deliver Hacks to the traders.

Free Beriani for All

Interestingly, free beriani was provided to the visitors for Indian Muslim Culture & Heritage Celebration. I had just paid my Nasi Kandar from the stall next to Nasi Kandar Beratur when there was an announcement of free beriani. After that, I was full to stomach another plate of rice.

Let’s Play Traditional Games

Visitors had the chance to play pallanguli, pamberem, 7 kalle and nondi kaele.

I had to pass the Qawali Show and Beriani Festival because they started very late in the afternoon. It was a Sunday and I needed to be in Kuala Lumpur for work the next day. All in all, Indian Muslim Culture & Heritage Celebration is a colourful event on which I get to learn more about my Indian Muslims friends.